


If Forevever Is All It Takes (Then Forever I Shall Wait)

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Arthur Returns, Immortal Merlin (Merlin), M/M, a shit ton of angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-14 01:16:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21007292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "The Once And Future King," they said, "shall return when Albion's need is greatest."Well he's taking his damn time.And yet, Albion awaits.





	If Forevever Is All It Takes (Then Forever I Shall Wait)

**Author's Note:**

> Merlin is waiting, But i really don't like the fics where he spends a thousand years in agony and depression, so the depression is only starting around the last century or so.

The lake was quiet, covered by the mists the rising sun has yet to chase away.

Yet it wasn’t completely calm, little ripples lapping at the shore, and at the shoes of the young man sitting on it.

The man was silent, so silent no one would notice him unless he made a noise.

Which was exactly what he did. 

A long, long sigh escaped his mouth, not quite sad, but not completely content either. He stood up swiftly, brushing the sand off his jeans, then turned his back to the lake.

The first sun rays greeted him as the man turned his head once more, looking over his shoulder and to the lake. He stood there for a moment, watching the lake, as if waiting for something to happen, before continuing to climb up the hill.

~~~

Today felt…  _ different _ , Merlin thought as he wiped the coffee off his hands.

1,500 years weren’t enough to rid him of his clumsiness, it seemed, if the cup he’d just broken was any proof. 

He couldn’t say  _ what _ was different, but there was something in the air, something like a scent, different than the usual scents that filled the small cafe.

He took a deep breath, letting the familiar, slightly bitter smell of coffee fill him, and reminded himself once more not to hope for too much. 

He’s already seen a lot of those “signs”.

“Hey! Merlin!”

A head adorned with curly blond hair popped from behind the door. “Get your arse right back behind the coffee stand! The customers are lining up!”

“Lizzie,” Merlin chuckled softly. “You do remember I’m your boss Right? I own this place. I can fire you.”

Lizzie scrunched her face and sticked her tongue out. “You’ve been saying this from the moment i started working here.”

“And one day i will go through with it!” He threatened.

“Sure.” The girl didn’t look even a little scared.

Merlin chuckled once again, a tinge of sadness filling him as he lightly patting her on the head, ignoring her protests.

“You know I hate it when you treat me like a child!” She pouted, “I’m only six years younger than you! Now go back to the counter before the customers start breaking stuff!”

“Okay, okay! I’m going!” Merlin raised his hands in defeat. 

_ Sometimes _ , He thought, his eyes lingering on the golden curls and his heart giving a painful tag,  _ the girl was just a little too similar to a certain someone _ . 

~~~

The weird feeling of  _ difference _ kept following him the entire day. The sun was starting to set, and he had just finished closing the shop when he felt it. 

A ripple.

The cafe key had almost fell from his hand. He shoved it in his pocket and started walking towards the lake. 

Then he started walking faster.

Then running.

His heart was racing, and so were his thoughts.

_ Could it be…? _

He got to the shore, panting, and waited.

Waited for another ripple in the delicate net of magic that surrounded him. Another sign. Anything.

He waited, and then waited a little more.

_ He could still come _ , merlin thought desperately,  _ today might still be the day _ .

But he could feel the hope leaving him as his shoulders sagged.

It was all just wishful thinking.

He wouldn’t return just because tomorrow was… That day.

Of course he wouldn’t.

Merlin was just deluding himself, like always.

He didn’t return all those other times.

Of course this time won’t be different.

Even if it _was_ different this time. 

Merlin sighed once again, making his way back to the cafe. With every step he took up the staircase, to his apartment above the coffee shop, he could feel his body becoming heavier.

He almost couldn’t unlock the door with how numb his hands felt, barely able to hold the key. Even lifting his hand to the door handle felt like a burden.

This time _was_ different. 

Because tomorrow was the 1,500th anniversary of  _ his  _ death, and merlin’s time had come.

Distantly, he found it weird that his hands weren’t shaking when he opened the drawer of his work table, then when he used his magic to open the second bottom, revealing an old looking glass bottle filled with a murky green fluid.

With another sigh, _ my last one _ , Merlin thought, he popped the cork lid and brought the vial to his lips.

_ I’m sorry, Arthur _ , he thought,  _ I can’t do it. Not anymore. _

He closed his eyes, ready to drink, when he felt it.

Not a ripple this time, but a tug.

It felt so real, a little painful, as if someone grabbed his heart inside his chest and  _ squeezed _ .

Merlin could feel his magic calling for him,  _ pulling _ him towards the lake. 

And Merlin closed the bottle, laying him back in the drawer, and ran to the lake, one last time.

He didn’t know if the world was playing with him again, but he could take the chance. One last chance.

So he ran.

He got to the shore, and watched as the lake began glowing. Magic was thrumming from the center of the lake outwards, every wave more powerful than the other.

Merlin watched, wide eyed, until the lake became too bright, the magic gathering in the center of it looking like a small sun.

With a final explosion that sent merlin stumbling a step backwards, the ball of light dissipated, and Merlin could finally open his eyes again.

He roved the lake with his eyes, searching for that familiar figure, for  _ him _ , but he couldn’t see anyone but himself around.

He felt as if the shattered pieces of his heart were going to crumble to dust.

His knees buckled, and merlin let them drag him towards the sand.

It was false. Again.

Merlin’s forehead fell against his knees and his arms circled his legs, tucking himself into a little ball. 

He wanted it to stop.

He wanted everything to just  _ stop! _

Searing tears started flowing from his eyes, covering his face. He could taste their salt on his tongue as he wept, a sob wreaking through his body.

_ Of fucking course _ .

“Merlin?”

Merlin’s whole body froze, and his head shot up.

Everything was blurry with tears, but even if he was blind Merlin would have recognized the person now standing in front of him, dripping wet, wearing his chainmail, a sword in hand.

He crouched in front of Merlin, the latter still wide eyed and shocked.

“Merlin, are you alright?”

Merlin’s hand lifted, as if on it’s own, and the other’s gloved hand held it.

Another gloved hand rested on his shoulder, then went up to his face wiping the tears, only for new ones to immidiately take their place.

“Merlin? Is everything alright? Are you-”

His question was cut off by Merlin’s other hand, which now rested on Arthur’s cheek, and then went up to his hair, then to his shoulder.

And then merlin collapsed into the other’s arms, sobbing and gasping for air.

He felt as though he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t talk, couldn’t do anything but melt into that embrace, into the arms of the man he had waited for for one thousand and five hundred years.

He felt those arms tightening around him, finally giving him that hug he had longed for.

And into those arms he whispered a name he hadn’t said in hundreds of years.

"_Arthur._"


End file.
